The present application relates generally to the field of cooling electronics. More specifically, the application relates to cooling of power dissipating devices, such as electronics, using liquid metal.
There is a growing demand to make electronic devices smaller and to operate at higher power. In some applications, including computers, peak power densities are reaching 400-500 W/cm2 and climbing. As a result, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to thermally manage these devices. Increasing temperatures often lead to decreased efficiency and reliability.
Conventional thermal management techniques such as forced air cooling, liquid cooling, spray cooling, and thermoelectric cooling may adequately cool the electronic device in some cases, but these techniques can be complicated, unreliable, orientation sensitive, or unsuitable for volume-constrained systems. The use of passive heat spreading materials and heat pipes may also adequately cool the electronic device, but increasing thermal path length and high device power can render these techniques insufficient. Conventional techniques may no longer provide adequate cooling for advanced high power electronic systems.
Thus there is a need for a low cost cooling system for power dissipating systems, such as high power electronic systems. Further, there is a need for a simple and reliable cooling system that does not add significant cost and power requirements. Further still, there is a need for an integrated thermal management technique for spreading heat from a circuit board. Yet further, there is a need for a thermal management system for portable applications, including military applications, that are smaller in size and weight.